James' Accomplishments as Supervisor

Since Supervisor James Gore took office, he’s been hard at work to deliver on the promises he campaigned on. Below is a summary of topics James campaigned on, and what’s he done to deliver on his campaign promises:

Issue

Campaign Pledge

Results Since James Took Office

Roads & Infrastructure

"James Gore is committed to increasing investments in our County's road network and knows that poor road conditions are all too prevalent in the Fourth District. He will ensure we rebuild and maintain more of our County's roads."

James has supported record spending on our roads & infrastructure (at the highest level of General Fund dollars of any County in California), including repairs to more than 25% of Sonoma County's roads (spanning nearly 400 miles), of which nearly 100 miles (29%) of roads in the 4th District have been re-paved from north Santa Rosa to Cloverdale over the last 4 years. 4th District roads slated for repair over the 2018-19 construction seasons include:

River Road (from the SMART tracks to the 101 onramp in Fulton -- re-paved June 2018)

Westside Road (from Mill Creek Road to HWY 101)

Yaokim Bridge Road (from West Dry Creek Road to Dry Creek Road)

James has also supported new community infrastructure, including $3 million for a bicycle and pedestrian passage at the Crocker Bridge (also known as the 1st Street Bridge) in Cloverdale, the "Great Pave" of Highway 101 from downtown Windsor to Cloverdale, and $1.5 million for a new intermodal transit project at Healdsburg's future SMART station.

This year, James supported the creation of a permanent Independent Citizens' Advisory Council on Pensions. He also advocated for negotiations on non-pensionable items (i.e. healthcare) instead of Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) increases, leading to 4 new negotiation pillars. Beyond James' advocacy, the county also reached an agreement with retirees on healthcare benefits going forward, reducing the county's unfunded pension liabilities by millions of dollars.

Economy

"James Gore is committed to creating a strong, diversified economy built on quality, good-paying jobs."

Sonoma County's economy has charged out of the recession, with an unemployment rate below 4%, one of the lowest in the state. Sonoma County also has a record number of jobs, at more thean 215,000. To reduce economic inequality, James helped author a living wage ordinance, ensuring more equitable wages. Despite this progress, he recognizes that relatively full employment has led to labor shortages in multiple sectors, and despite an improving economy, wage inequities still need to be addressed, along with additional reforms that need to be made to Sonoma County's permitting and planning systems.

James has been a champion for the protection of our water resources and natural resources as a whole. James spearheaded the formation of the Russian River Confluence, a non-profit consortium of agricultural, environmental and recreational water users, to both ensure water reliability and habitat restoration & improvement. James also advocated for water-saving programs throughout the county, and supported the implementation of water-wise landscaping requirements for new development projects.

Environment

"James Gore is committed to leveraging resources with additional local, state and federal programs to expand conservation investments in Sonoma County."

James led the creation of Sonoma County Venture Conservation, bringing together more than 30 local organizations in the creation of a $20 million program to ensure clean and abundant water supplies, improve endangered species habitat, and protect our natural ecosystem. James also championed efforts to fund Conservation Districts, and signed the 1st ever Safe Harbor agreement in Dry Creek to protect farmers and promote fisheries.

Keeping Our Community Safe

"James Gore is committed to strong public safety services that help keep our community safe and will equip law enforcement with the resources needed to effectively do their jobs. James is also committed to increasing transparency and accountability in the law enforcement community."

James supported efforts to equip all officers with body cameras, and voted to support the formation of Sonoma County's Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Oversight (IOLERO), an independent watchdog to increase transparency in the law enforcement community. James also voted to approve a $1.2 million allocation for rural fire districts, the first time General Fund dollars were appropriated for rural fire districts in decades.

Strengthening Our Schools

"On the Board of Supervisors, he (James) will be a major proponent of upstream investments including Cradle to Career and Career Technical Education (CTE) that link education to career readiness and employment opportunities."

As a champion for Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, James has been collaborating with those in the business and education worlds to prepare our students and help them excel in the skills needed by Sonoma County companies now and in the future.

"The purpose of my outreach is for you to get to know me and to assure you that your voice matters and I am listening."

James created the Mark West Citizens Advisory Council, a community advisory panel governed by Mark West area residents that focuses on reviewing development proposals, guiding future development, transit and public works initiatives. The 4th District now has the only two community advisory committees in the County. At the county level, James supported the creation of the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Oversight (IOLERO) to improve transparency and accountability at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. Lastly, since James took office, all Sonoma County budgets and other relevant county data are now posted online.

Protecting Our Quality of Life

"You can count on me to address our most pressing issues while improving our quality of life."

James supported enhanced code enforcement efforts targeted towards illegal marijuana grows, substandard housing conditions for county renters and vacation rentals failing to comply with county regulations. James also supported a ban on marijuana cultivation in rural residential areas to protect the quality of life of residents living in unincorporated areas. These efforts, coupled with economic, infrastructure, environmental and educational efforts have all helped protect our quality of life here in Sonoma County.